Zelisko explains that the coating has to meet strict criteria, including protecting the package, not interfering with the chemical composition of the cosmetic it is holding, and the coating itself has to be biodegradable.

“You don’t want this thing essentially turning into compost on the store shelf or in your bathroom,” says Zelisko. “The last thing you want is a cold cream that turns black when it’s in contact with the coating - it won’t sell that well.”

Zelisko says that within the next six months, he’ll be conducting experiments to understand how various polymers interact with the containers and how to apply them to packaging, among other things.

Polymers are chemical compounds or mixtures of compounds consisting of repeated structural units that occur naturally or synthetically. Examples of natural polymers are cellulose, shellac and amber.

“I’ve always been a big fan of science with practical applications,” says Zelisko. “In reality, there’s a lot of fundamental science that needs to be developed. It just so happens that at the end of the day, somebody gets a product, or the university gets a license that they can work with.”

D’Angelo, is equally enthusiastic about his partnership with Brock.

“As I grow, Brock is going to grow with their business incubator,” says D’Angelo, who plans to run the company with his father and long-time family friend Bob Birrell. “We want the relationship to be mutually beneficial.”